Mighty Executioner
by AADale
Summary: Kira, his post time skip captain, and his sword's power


Mighty Executioner

a lieutenant, his (post time skip) captain, and his sword's power

Disclaimer - Yup. I'm not Kubo.

/

Lieutenant Izuru Kira sat alone in a small courtyard of the Third Division headquarters eating his lunch. He could be found there every day at noontime, except for the special occasions when he joined his fellow lieutenants Hisagi or Hinamori. It was a quiet place where nobody disturbed him. In this spot the frown on his face was a little less intense than usual.

Captain Otoribashi strolled out from an office into the courtyard and greeted his lieutenant. Kira rose and stood at attention, his scowl returning to its fullest. "Sir!"

"No need to stand on my account", Rose said. (Then again, he had waited until Kira was standing to say that.) Rose grabbed the railing and leaned his head back, enjoying the breeze as it brushed back his long hair. "It's a beautiful day. Warm. You don't like me very much, do you, Izuru?"

"Sir. I'm your lieutenant, sir. It's my duty to serve you however you wish."

"That didn't really answer my question, did it?"

"I'm sorry, sir, it didn't."

"It seems that you find me annoying. Is that it? A lot of people do. But I suppose you're not going to answer that question either, are you?"

The captain turned and faced his lieutenant. "I didn't want this job, you know. I'm only doing this as a favor for the old man. I'm just filling in until one of you lieutenants gets a promotion."

Kira cringed at the reference to the Captain-Commander of Soul Society as the "old man", but otherwise made no response. He continued to stand at attention, looking straight ahead.

Rose took a dramatic pause, then pressed on. "Well?"

"'Well' what, sir?"

"We've been sparring together for nearly a year. I know you attained bankai two months ago. Your spiritual pressure is completely different, and your swordsmanship has gotten almost as good as mine."

Kira fidgeted. "Thank you, sir, but that's not something I want to talk about."

"Come on! This is nothing to be afraid of. You're an excellent officer, a bit too uptight for my taste, but I'm sure you'll make a fine captain. So show me your bankai, and we'll march down together right now to Division One headquarters. It'll make both of our lives easier, to tell you the truth."

"Sir, I'm not afraid. I'd just really rather not, that's all."

"Nonsense. If this has something to do with Ichimaru - "

"Sir, please, don't."

Rose looked at his lieutenant for a few seconds, weighing his options. He wished he knew his lieutenant better. The boy was tough to read.

"I hate to do this", Rose said at last, "but you're leaving me no choice. I order you to show me your bankai."

Kira didn't move at first. Then he put his right hand to his zanpakuto and drew it. He held the blade straight out and said in a soft, resigned voice, "bankai – stand tall, Mighty Executioner".

There was a loud rush of spiritual energy. Kira and his blade lit up, glowing with a yellow-white light like the sun. Energy pulsated and swirled around them, and the blade dematerialized. Then, standing before them, was a 4-meter tall guillotine.

"Huh", said Rose as he looked it over. "So this is your bankai."

"Yes sir."

"It's...big."

Rose walked around it, appraising it. Kira said nothing.

"That blade looks sharp...So, I guess if a Hollow were to put its head into this piece..."

"That's called a lunette, sir."

"Huh. I didn't know that. Or, well, I guess you could – or someone else - could force a Hollow's head into the...um..."

"Lunette, sir."

Rose looked thoughtful.

"You know, anyone who achieves bankai has got to feel...uh...this is really all it does, then?"

"I'm afraid so, sir."

Rose looked at the Mighty Executioner a little longer, then back at his lieutenant. "Very well. I don't see any reason that the General has to know about this."

The guillotine slowly dissolved, and Kira's zanpakuto reappeared in his hand. Kira sighed. "Thank you, sir."

Rose turned to walk away. "Just - make sure I never have to look at that thing again, will you?"

"Yes, sir."


End file.
